New Ulm weekly review., 1887-11-30
SAVED BY AN AK.

Martins sawmill, on the ST. Anthony
Falls, stood the little white cottage
that Jack Donnelly had bought for
his bride. It was not paid for yet, but
the mortgage had been growing small
I er each spring for three years, and q
couple Of seasons more would see the
entire amount paid, and then Alice
would be the proud owner OF what
Jack and she thought was the pref
tiest place in Minneapolis.
Almost any one VINO might have
happened to catch a glimpse from
the cross street Of the tidy little kitch-
en- where Alice was busy one May
evening at sunset would have been in
clined to agree with the verdict. The
floor was pare, but it was so spotiess.
ly clean that no one would have dared
to suggest the idea that it looked
bare. The stove was not very large,
but it seemed to be trying to give out
the heat of furnace. and the red glow
that came from it's open door was
like headlight Of a locomotive.
Everything in the room was plain, and
there did not seem to be an ything
there that was not absolutely neces.
sary. The luxuries could wait till the
mortgage was paid off. But wha
there was, was scrubbed till it shone,
and, the tea-kettle was putting out
steamlike mad. It was fairly wonder
full how that kettle puffed and sung,
and how the lid danced up and down.
But the brightest, tidiest object in
the room was Alice, with her brown
hair tied securely back with blue
ribbon Jack liked blue SO very much.
and her blue eyes watching each par,
ticular thing OIL the stove all the time
and yet looking every moment at the
table to see if anything was missing
that Jack would want, and into the
other room to see if baby was all right
and out OF mischief, and at the clock
to see that the hands were not going
too fast; she fitted around the room
singing like a bird.
Everything was done just right and
the clock stood a quarter past six.
Jack would be there in minute or
two. so supper was set back where it
would keep not. 1t wouldn't be long,
for he never loitered on his way home.
There was too much happiness wait
Ing for him. No stopping at the corner
Tor glass OF something hot and
strong.
But the little clook kept on ticking
as though Jack was there. And the
ticking grew louder and louder, and
more and more djsagreeable, as it re-
morselessly checked off minute after
minute Of the time Jack was overdue.
Ten minutes, twenty, thirty, and
.ne anxious little housewife sighed as
she wondered what could be the mat
ter. 1t was nonsense to suppose that
he was hurt. She. would not
think Of it for moment. The idea
that Jack-her Jack---the bravest,
strongest, coolest logger on the river,
had been hurt was laughable. And
she laughed. But it did not sound
like the ripple OF merriment that Jack
loved SO well. and it stopped very
suddenly, fading away from face
that looked very sober when it was
gone.
Then the baby began to cry, and
there was no use worrying then, be-
cause Jack would be at home before
the baby was quieted And she began
SINGING to the little one. But there
were one or two false notes in the
song, and baby evidently had an ear
for music, for he refused to be quieted.
| Then. just as, two big tears were
| coming in her blue eyes, Che front gate
opened and Jack s step was heard. In
a moment more he was in the room.
hearty and big as ever, but very wet
and pale.
There, there, Alice, darling, kiss me
again, but don't put your arms
around me. fur I've had duckin'.
Why, darling, faint nothin'. Yer
needn't be frightened-now. Hain't
yer found out by this time that q
logger is liable to get vet? There.
there, dear, don't cry so. Thank God,
I amt hurt!'
The great brawny fellow, wet as he
was, took the fair girl in his arms and
| stroked her hair and kissed il. 4.
"oh, I'm so happy, said Alice,
laughing and crying at once, and giv-
ing him little squeezes and taps run
ming from his arms to the closet and
back to his arms again, getting kisses
and dry clothes as fast assshe could.
aPll tell ye--"'' !"
Now, Jack, don't say a word
about it till you've had your supper.
But what q shame it is that supper
is spoiled. Shall I cook you anoth-
er?"
Spoiled, eh? Well. i rather like
things like these" and Jack laughed
as he drank the hot tea that was
slowly brlnging him out Of the chill Of
his Icy bath.
But when supper was over and the
baby was asleep. and Alice had filled
up the pipe that she pretended to like
the smoke OF because Jack had smok-
ed SO long that he thought he couldn't
stop and when she saw thatsit was
n 80. =